Display cases have previously been utilized for the purpose of storing and displaying flags. Prior efforts to provide such display cases are generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,145, to McLellan et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,657, to Frye, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. The devices described in each of these references generally function to store and display a memorial flag which is given to the family of a deceased military service person.
Because of the nature of the flags stored by the devices described in these references, namely folded memorial flags, these devices do not include a means for displaying the flags, in a realistic manner, such as when a flag is flown from a flag pole, for symbolic or patriotic purposes. An additional device, which may be utilized for displaying a banner, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,364, to Sengstaken, also incorporated herein by reference. This device provides the illusion that a miniature airplane model is pulling a curved banner with a message thereon.
Because of the popularity and widespread practice of displaying flags for primarily symbolic and patriotic purposes at, for example, schools, courthouses, and places of business, there is a need in the flag display industry for a case for visually displaying a flag in a realistic manner which provides an illusion that the flag is kept aloft in the wind.